California Could Temporarily Ban Law Enforcement From Using Facial Recognition Technology

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A Los Angeles police officer's body camera is seen on Feb. 18, 2017, in Los Angeles. (Credit: David McNew/Getty Images)

California Could Temporarily Ban Law Enforcement From Using Facial Recognition Technology

A Los Angeles police officer's body camera is seen on Feb. 18, 2017, in Los Angeles. (Credit: David McNew/Getty Images)

Law enforcement agencies in California would be barred from using facial recognition technology in body cameras for three years under a bill that has cleared the state Senate.

The state Senate voted 25-11 on Wednesday to temporarily ban the technology. The state Assembly must approve the bill before it heads to the governor’s desk.

Wednesday’s vote follows San Francisco, which in May became the first city in the country to ban facial recognition technology for government use.

The American Civil Liberties Union tested the technology last year, finding it incorrectly matched 28 members of Congress with people who had been arrested, disproportionately misidentifying black and Latino members.

Democratic Sen. Bob Archuleta opposed the bill, saying the state should put restrictions on the technology instead of an outright ban.